I had a very smart and talented professor for several undergraduate classes who entered the computer science field after getting an BA in Music and a PhD in Mus

I had a very smart and talented professor for several undergraduate classes who entered the computer science field after getting an BA in Music and a PhD in Musicology. It didn't seem to slow him down. The only thing I programmed before I switched from a music major to computer science was a TI-83 calculator for a few weeks in the 8th grade. Technically that counts as experience but I have a feeling you meant more extensive experience. Regardless of whether my experience counted or not, I find the notion that only those who start programming before university will not struggle to be ridiculous.